Do You Want to Be a Changemaker?

As many of my loyal blog readers know, I've been championing safer chemical laws for awhile now. Last spring I had the opportunity to go to Washington, DC and be part of a Stroller Brigade to support the Safe Chemicals Act. I even got to go to the Senate office building and meet with both of my Senators! It was such a thrilling feeling to be part of a big rally on Capitol Hill pushing for much needed change in our chemical laws!

If you had asked me when I was a younger if I thought I was the activist type, I would have said no way. Sure, I had participated in a few marches for causes I believed it but I still didn't consider myself a true activist. What I didn't realize is that you don't need to live and breathe a cause to be an activist. We can all be changemakers in many small ways.

 

The Community Action Pack Toolkit

 Do you have a cause you would like to champion? Is there something you would like to change in your school or community? Or maybe you just want to explore the idea of getting involved with something you care about but you're not sure where to start? TakePart has put together a Community Action Pack Toolkit, filled with resources that help you drive community engagement and action no matter what the issue. Some of the digital platforms include:

•    POPVOX: Find out what issues are being addressed in Congress through an easy-to-use website
•    All For Good:  Volunteer matching service no matter where you live or how much time you have to offer
•    MindMixer: A platform that makes it easier to share ideas with city leaders
•    Story of Stuff's Changemaker Quiz:  Find out what type of changemaker you are
•    SeeClickFix and CitySourced:  Allow you to easily connect and report civic issues directly to your local officials using the camera and GPS in your smartphone
•    Sunlight Foundation's Call On Congress:  An 800 number that allows you to track bills in Congress
•    Ashoka Changemakers: Get the tools and resources for your idea that can better the world
•    Care2: empowering citizens through creating and signing petitions
•    NationBuilder and WordPress: The tools to create a website and outreach platform for an issue that's important for you
•    MeetUp: Find or start a meetup group to discuss the issues your community faces and the solutions and changemaking that is possible
•    Neighborgoods: Connects people to save money and resources by sharing goods in the hopes of building stronger communities
•    Twitter and Facebook: Strategies to leverage social media platforms to make change in your community

Take the Changemaker Personality Test

The toolkit includes a fun Changemaker Personality Test. According to the test, I am a Networker. Networker traits include:

• A love and skill for making introductions and making new friends and contacts.
• Helping to bring all types of people and Changemakers Personalities together over commons ideas, goals and actions.
• An outgoing, open-natured person that’s constantly trying to strengthen and grow their communities.

Take the Changemaker Personality Test for yourself and find out what type of a changemaker you are. (you'll find the link near the bottom of the Community Action Pack by the picture of the compass.)

Start a Facebook Connect Cause or Community

Ready to get started? The Champion Community Change Facebook Connect experience helps you see how a community action could work for you by creating a cause or community page on Facebook.

 

Would you like to be a changemaker? What have you done or would you like to do?

(Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign through Linqia.)

Comments

[Anne]

Thanks for concisely putting these tools together, Micaela. Love your idea that each one of us can make positive change.

[Micaela]

Thanks Anne! What I like about these tools is that it might give someone that little push and encouragement they need to get something started!

[Jenelle Montilone]

This is such a great resource, once you make the decision to create change it can be overwhelming figuring out exactly where to start. This kit has brought together some valuable sources to start engaging your community & instigate conversations.

I consider myself a creative activist, a recycling and repurposing revolutionary. I want to revolutionize the way view our trash, and instigate a movement to change the way we consume and create. You can find out more about my commitment at www.trashn2tees.com and www.sidengo.com/createchange

[Micaela]

Very cool Jenelle - I love what you are doing! Keep being a changemaker!